


A Knight and Her Duke

by Blondthndrninja



Category: One Piece
Genre: Alternate Universe - Royalty, Dancing, F/M, Guard/Soldier!Bellemere, Love Confessions, One Piece AU, Royal!Corazon, non-traditional gender role, not your typical Cinderella story
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-08-18
Updated: 2017-08-18
Packaged: 2018-12-16 18:20:02
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,364
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11834379
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Blondthndrninja/pseuds/Blondthndrninja
Summary: Before Bellemere could give the Duke a formal bow in greeting her blue-grey eyes widened in surprise as Rocinante gave her a slight bow and offered his hand to her, “Would you care to share the first dance with me, my Lady?”





	A Knight and Her Duke

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this when I was inspired by the song 'So She Dances' by Josh Groban, if you haven't heard the song before I recommend that you give it a listen, in fact listen to it while you read this fic. Also it is very fluffy and it made me have a few giggle fits. Hope you guys enjoy it and thanks for reading! :-)

She stood by the door, one arm on her hip while the other held a glass of wine that was being served tonight. The female guard watched as men and women of nobility walked and talked amongst each other in the giant ballroom. She of course didn’t join them and frowned as she looked at the women who were dressed in fancy gowns.

Bellemere didn’t mind the fact that she was dressed in black boots, trousers, a crisp button-up shirt, and a long white coat with gold trim. She honestly would have looked too ridiculous wearing a dress. Those dresses weren’t very practical. And having her hair curled and adorned with ribbons and other things? She kissed that idea good-bye a long time ago when she joined the royal army, shaving the sides of her head, showing that she was not someone to be messed with.

‘I don’t even know why I’m here.’ She thought to herself as she sipped her wine. This was supposed to be the magenta-haired woman’s night off when at the last minute someone sent word to her that she was to attend the ball under request of the Duke himself.

Duke Donquixote Rocinante. He was a tall individual, much like his brother who ruled Dressrosa with an iron fist. Blond locks of hair fell around his face giving him a rather angelic appearance and he had kind reddish-brown eyes. Truly he had inherited most of the late Queen’s kind facial features. Bellemere had seen him before around the castle as she was training new soldiers and practicing her combat skills. He was an extremely klutzy individual and she had seen him trip on his feet on multiple occasions….definitely not someone fit for combat.

‘But why ask me to attend?’ Bellemere wondered, ‘I’m not a high-ranking officer by any means, I shouldn’t even be here.’

Suddenly the noise of the crowd died down and a trumpet sounded signaling the arrival of the ruler of Dressrosa and his brother. Bellemere put down her glass and looked across the room to see the Donquixote Brothers enter. The King was dressed in a red suit with that ridiculous pink feathered coat over his shoulders while Rocinante was dressed in a white suit with his own black feathered coat.

Bellemere immediately straightened herself out of habit as a guard, facing the brothers with a guarded expression.

Doflamingo grinned and looked at Rocinante, “Well dear brother, this is your party. Why don’t you find someone to start the first dance with?” Rocinante nodded at his brother and slowly walked forward.

Bellemere watched as the Duke stepped out onto the floor, the crowd parting for him, probably knowing all to well that the royal was prone to tripping and falling on his face. She raised an eyebrow as she noticed how the blond seemed to be searching for someone in the crowd. Odd, it shouldn’t take that long to look for a dance partner, there were plenty of women to choose from. That’s when reddish-brown eyes glanced toward her direction and his face seemed to light up as he made his way through the crowd.

Bellemere frowned. What was he doing coming over here? She was standing beside the buffet table and on the other side of her were individuals who served beverages for the guests. Was he coming to get something to eat first? Sure the food was great, but he was supposed to be finding a dance partner….what was going on? Even the guest started whispering in confusion as the Duke now stood before her, his full height towering over her.

‘What…the hell?’

Before Bellemere could give the Duke a formal bow in greeting her blue-grey eyes widened in surprise as Rocinante gave her a slight bow and offered his hand to her, “Would you care to share the first dance with me, my Lady?”

Bellemere swore her heart stopped beating and the temperature of the room seemed to grow hotter. He was asking her to partake in the first dance? Suddenly she felt a sense of self-consciousness overtake her as she remembered what she was wearing. She cleared her throat, “My Lord, I’m afraid my dancing skills are incompetent for someone of your standing….I only know how to lead when it comes to the waltz.”

Rocinante only stood up and offered her a kind gorgeous smile, “Then I’ll allow you to lead.”

Bellemere felt her face grow hot and her heart-rate seemed to increase tenfold. Taking a deep breath, she placed her hand in his and found herself in a trance as she and the Duke made their way to the middle of the room. The sound of her heart pounded in her ears as she felt the numerous stares on her and Rocinante. What the fuck was he thinking? She really should have turned him down, but turn down someone who was of royal blood? That would have been absurd!

They were now facing each other and Bellemere felt a large hand on her shoulder and she gulped and placed a hand on the taller man’s waist.

“I’ve…never danced with a man before.” Bellemere confessed.

She felt the Duke’s other hand link with hers, entwining their fingers together, “Well I’ve never let someone else lead a dance….so I guess we’re both experiencing something new.”

Bellemere cracked a smile at the reassurance as the music began to play.

–---

Bellemere and the Duke were now outside of the room in the gardens of the castle away from the party that was going on inside. After a couple of dances Rocinante had suggested they get some fresh air and taken her out of the ballroom before she could protest.

Bellemere immediately suspected something was up and was intent on getting to the bottom of it. But how to ask the Duke in a formal matter without slipping up…that was going to be tricky. He still had a grip on her hand, fingers still interlocked with her own. She felt like she was fighting a mental battle…her heart was still racing and the heat from her cheeks seemed unable to disappear. It was a feeling she was not familiar with. What was this man doing to her?

Suddenly she felt herself being lurched forward and found herself on top of the Duke who had tripped and fallen on the ground. She then realized the position they were in and her eyes widened, “My Lord! Are you hurt? Ah geez….here let me-!”

Suddenly she felt a hand holding her waist in place over his body while the other that had been holding her hand found hers again and pulled it down so that her palm was flat against his chest.

“M-My Lord….”

“Do you feel that?” Bellemere nodded her head as she felt the Duke’s heart beating rapidly against her hand, her eyes looked at that angelic face that was stained with a blush. “It only gets this way when I’m around you…Bellemere.”

Bellemere almost forgot to breath when she heard her name and shook her head to clear her thoughts, “Wh-what are you talking about?” The only answer she received was Duke Rocinante’s lips pressed against her own in a soft gentle kiss.

“I’ve… fallen for you.” She heard him whisper against her lips, “You weren’t like any other woman I had ever seen. You had my attention the moment I first saw you…” she felt another kiss against the corner of her mouth, “…you’re the most beautiful woman I’ve ever laid eyes on.”

Bellemere’s breath hitched. In all of her years she had gotten her fair share of descriptions but ‘beautiful’ wasn’t something that was at the top of the list. “Y-you do realize that I’m just a guard, right?”

“I don’t care.” She heard Rocinante whisper in her ear, “To hell with what anyone else says….I only want to be with you.” Bellemere opened her eyes and found herself staring at Rocinante’s eyes which were practically searing her soul. “I love you Bellemere.”

Bellemere swallowed thickly as she heard the confession, “…Kiss me again, so I know you’re serious.” 

 

And he did.

END


End file.
